present invention relates to a liquid-filled ornament.
Water-filled ornaments are known, such as a display device as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,283, which contain a creature immersed in water and that is movable through interaction between a driving magnet and a driven magnet.
The present invention introduces an improved liquid-filled ornament.
According to the invention, there is provided a liquid-filled ornament comprising a base; a transparent casing having an opening, filled with a liquid, and mounted on the base; a sealing wall extending across and sealing the opening against loss of the liquid from the casing; a driving mechanism located within the base and including a motor having a motor shaft, a bar, a gearing arrangement coupling the bar to the motor shaft so that the bar is rotated by operation of the motor, and a pair of magnets mounted on opposite ends of the bar that are separated from the motor shaft; a driven mechanism located in the casing and including a stationary first member, a rotatable second member rotatably supported on the first member and including a plurality of outwardly extending paddles for stirring the liquid upon rotation of the second member; a pair of magnets positioned on the second member, alignable with the pair of magnets mounted on the bar, for magnetic interaction with the pair of magnets mounted on the bar, so that the second member is rotated by rotation of the bar, and a ball bearing interposed between the first member and the second member; a display object mounted on the first member and visible in the liquid; and bits of a solid material disposed in the liquid and dispersed through the liquid by the paddles upon rotation of the second member.
Preferably, the first and second members of the driven mechanism are respective discs.
More preferably, one of the first and second discs has a peripheral flange for positioning the ball bearing.
It is preferred that the first disc have a shaft and the second disc have a hole, through which the shaft extends, for connecting the two discs together.
In a preferred construction, the ball bearing includes roller balls and a ring with respective holes holding the roller balls.
In a first preferred embodiment, the display object is mounted on and turns with the second member of the driven mechanism.
In a second preferred embodiment, the display object is free to move in the liquid, and the second member of the driven mechanism includes a paddle for swirling the liquid, which will, in turn, carry with it and turn the display object.
More preferably, the second member of the driven mechanism includes paddles arranged equi-angularly.
It is preferred that the driving mechanism incorporate a spring motor.
Preferably, the sealing wall forms part of a cap-like stopper fitted within the opening of the casing.
In a preferred construction, the casing is substantially spherical, and the body includes a base supporting the casing and containing the driving mechanism.